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For a band who’ve always teetered on the edge of the mainstream, Neil Hannon and his various incarnations of the Divine Comedy haven't half done well to be still about 17 years after their conception. While gems such as 'Everybody Knows' and 'Something For The Weekend' gained them a solid fanbase in the mid-nineties, it was 1999's jovial transport based ditty 'National Express' that thrust them headlong into the top ten and got Parlophone thinking they better sign this dapper looking chap smartish.
The day before we spoke to him, Neil had just performed new material from ninth album 'Victory For The Comic Muse' to an assembled group of press and media types in London's swanky Too 2 Much club – the home of Elton's stag do, no less! As London folk, never mind media folk, are prone to do at gigs, there was polite clapping and Neil found it hard to engage with the audience. Despite his misgivings though, the show was successful with various pundits ringing his manager to declare it 'the best showcase they'd even been to.'
While being a debut for the media, Neil was warmed up by a gentler audience – his fans – after completing a small tour of the UK earlier in the month. The coolest venue on the tour surely had to be a small church in London, where despite the sound being 'a little dodgy', the band pulled off a spectacular appearance lauded by many critics. But what was it like for the son of a former major Irish Bishop to sing about love and sex in a holy place? 'Hmmm, I certainly swore less than normal,' he giggled, 'but we still stuck to our values, and even played The Eye of the Needle which is very irreligious.'
So what of this new album then that everyone's raving about? For starters, take a look at the name. The Divine Comedy's debut was called 'Fanfare For The Comic Muse' so could 'Victory' signal the end? "Oh yeah I'm going to top me-self! What's the point? I may have misjudged this one as everyone suddenly thinks it's the end. I'm always getting this feeling that people are trying to get rid of me, but no it's not the end, it's just the beginning!' Taken from one of Hannon's favourite films, A Room With A View, he suggests that the title 'just looked right, because it had that air of grandiose I enjoy. Calling an album 'Whatever' or 'If' is just so dull!'
Recorded in London's Rack studios, most of Neil's time was spent behind the desk, trying to play as little as possible. Reckoning his instrumental techniques are 'unusual' and somewhat 'lack timing', he rather preferred to leave the good musicians to their jobs. Victory continues the theme of very character based songs, but Neil says the characters aren't real but instead are a 'subconscious amalgamation of various books and films as well as people I've met over the years all rolled into one.' Various French ex-girlfriends have in the past hoped they were 'The Frog Princess' but alas not!
Never one to court the press, lead single 'Diva Lady' comments on the current state of celebrity obsessed culture. A girl with 'no real home' and '30 people in her entourage to give her ego a quick massage' could be said of many female celebrities out there, but it's those who put up with and lead on worthless celebs (Chantelle anyone?) who really rankle Hannon. Never mind those who sell photos of their babies to the papers - 'Is nothing sacred?' he asks. While claiming he'd be quite happy to be a celeb if anyone thought he was one, Neil contently admits that he's never really done anything that would get the papers interested. Before the marriage to his wife, Orla, his then press officer rang up Hello! to see if they would be interested in access to the wedding ('without my permission' he hastens to add). The offer that came back was a measly ten grand, 'I'd have done it if maybe it was a hundred grand, but ten!?'
Being far away from celebrity culture also has its knock on effect on the audience of his songs. If Neil decided Celebrity Big Brother was the next step, then his popularity would soar and no doubt the once faithful Radio 1 wouldn’t be knocking back his new music. Instead it's Radio 2 who are wearing their 'we heart DC' badges with Ken Bruce heading up the brigade. 'It's amazing that someone twice my age is loving the music, he's so open-minded, unlike some of my contemporaries in media land', Neil comments. Indeed, he now finds radio 'a brick wall which has been in a very funny place for about five years'. Instead of it being a 'channel to bring wonderful music to the masses', it's all about 'latching onto one song by an artist and playing it to death for two years.'
And what of this music, that dear old Ken loves so much. Asking whether he thinks of himself as a pop or an indie artist, leaves Hannon momentarily struggling for words. 'I guess the boring answer is I make music but I always liked the term alternative pop because it is essentially pop music, it's just rather odd. What used to be alternative is no longer – the guitar bands court the masses in a pop band way. I like guitar music but pop as well, everything in fact, apart from reggae!'
But have any of these new bands caught the maestro's eye? 'Well the Arctic Monkeys are actually brilliant – everyone says it but that's because it's true. I like the sound of We Are Scientists, but I'm not really sure what this new wave of Britpop are trying to tell me. Back in the olden days, people like XTC and Elvis Costello were always trying to communicate something they truly believed in. Now it seems the lyrics are just an excuse they need to do the music. For me the reason you do music in the first place is to let yourself communicate some idea to people.'
It's not all heavy stuff talking to Neil though, after all this is the man who wrote the infamous Dougal Eurovision entry 'My Lovely Horse' in Father Ted, as well as the show's theme tune and that of the I.T. crowd. Sitcoms aren't the only shows you'll hear the Divine Comedy's work on though, as BBC 2 Sport have recently started using 'A Charmed Life' to accompany the golf coverage! But never mind golf, it's beer that Neil is really interested in. 'If Guinness decided they wanted to use my music and sponsor my life, then ah well, that would be just fantastic. I hope they're reading this – send a crate over!'
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